Pioli emerges as frontrunner to replace Gasperini at Atalanta

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Alessandro Bai | Last updated May 29, 2025 7:50 AM ET

Stefano Pioli has emerged as a leading candidate to take over at Atalanta following Gian Piero Gasperini’s expected departure after nine years in charge.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Milan coach is gaining significant traction within the club as they begin the search for a new head coach after Gasperini has seemingly expressed his desire to leave, starting talks with Roma.

Atalanta identify Pioli as prime candidate for head coach role after Gasperini

While Atalanta are said to be in a key phase of internal evaluations, taking the necessary time to identify the ideal profile, Pioli’s experience, tactical intelligence and track record—highlighted by his 2022 Serie A title with Milan—make him an appealing option for the club’s ownership.

The 59-year-old is reportedly the top choice at this stage, but his current contract with Saudi side Al-Nassr, running until June 2027, presents a potential hurdle as any move would require negotiations to explore a possible early termination of his deal.

However, there is growing confidence that Pioli could be the man to lead the Dea into their next chapter, although there were rumours that an interest from Atalanta could also be among the reasons that saw Raffaele Palladino suddenly resign as Fiorentina coach.

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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